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Friends of the Oklawaha Greenway, Hendersonville, NC

The Oklawaha Greenway — An Overview

Hendersonville’s 3.5 mile Oklawaha Greenway winds through wetlands, meadows and forests to connect four parks. It takes its name from a Cherokee word meaning “slowly moving muddy waters” because much of the Greenway runs along Mud Creek, a key part of the Henderson County watershed. The Greenway currently has two birding “hot spots” designated by eBird because of the wide variety of birds it attracts. Wildflowers, native trees and small mammals abound. The fully paved Greenway is a five-minute drive from downtown Hendersonville and easily accessible from five convenient parking areas.


Seen on the Greenway

 


Latest News

Here’s a summary of more recent Oklawaha Greenway news and events. See the Events/News tab for more information, related links, and earlier News items. Also see our Facebook page for news and events.

News from 2021 and later. You’ll need to scroll down to see everything, using the scroll bar on the right.

News from 2021 and later. Use your finger to scroll down.

Hendersonville Triathlon and Bark and Bolt 5K    Fri., Jun. 16, 2023 at 5:00 PM
Volunteer and Help Raise Money for Friends of Oklawaha! The Friends of the Oklawaha Greenway are looking for volunteers to help with the 4th Annual Hendersonville Triathlon and the Greenway's first Bark and Bolt 5K for dog lovers. FoOG will receive a significant donation for each person who volunteers. The races are fun events for both volunteers and participants. The Bark and Bolt 5K is in Patton Park on Friday evening, June 16th. The Triathlon takes place Saturday morning, June 17th starting in Patton Park. Volunteers are needed to help direct participants around the course and other tasks.
Recent Grant Award - "Above the Mud"    Sun., Mar. 19, 2023 at 5:00 PM
The City of Hendersonville has recently been awarded an NCDOT grant totaling $77,250 to provide funding to study the feasibility of a multi-modal path to connect the Ecusta Trail and Oklawaha Greenway.
A fun Friends of Oklawaha Greenway fundraiser    Fri., Feb. 24, 2023
The fundraiser lasts all of March, and so does the "voting" for the pronunciation of Oklawaha! Is it "Ock.." or "Oak..."? You can help us decide.
$5,000 Grant for Greenway    Fri., Feb. 10, 2023
The Community Foundation of Henderson County recently awarded a $5,000 grant to The Friends of the Oklawaha Greenway to support the Greenway's new birding trail. The grant will be used for signage that explains bird-friendly ecosystems and why they are important. The new signage will complement the Greenway's native plants garden and establish the Greenway as a key spot for local environmental education.
Record Group attends Greenway Bird Walk    Sat., Sep. 17, 2022
Local birder Cathy Ford lead a record number of participants on a guided Fall Migration Bird Walk along the Oklawaha Greenway. The group identified 33 species of birds in just about a mile! Red-winged Blackbirds were the most abundant single species — the group observed 30 of these distinctive birds.
Wes Burlingame Native Plants Garden Dedication    Wed., Apr. 13, 2022
On April 9th, amid a few snow flurries (!), the Friends dedicated the native plants garden at the kiosk as a memorial to Wes Burlingame.
Oklawaha Greenway adds second Birding Hotspot    Sun., Mar. 20, 2022 at 11:30 AM
A new birding hotspot on the Oklawaha Greenway in Hendersonville was recently approved by eBird, a worldwide, online bird database launched by Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology in 2002. The Oklawaha Greenway’s paved path now connects two eBird hotspots. At the southern end of the greenway, more than 200 hundred species of birds have been recorded over the past 25 years at a hotspot in Jackson Park. At the greenway’s new hotspot, which is at the red kiosk between 7th Avenue and South Main Street, over 80 species have already been recorded.
NEW on the website — Plant of the Month    Fri., Sep. 10, 2021
"Plant of the Month" is a new monthly feature spotlighting a blooming native plant, interesting foliage, or unusual purpose or growth habit on display along the Greenway each month. Coming with your help — a map locating each month's special plant.
Rail line purchased for Ecusta Trail; Campaign launched to fund construction    Mon., Aug. 16, 2021
The long-awaited Ecusta Trail is one step closer to officially becoming a rail trail.


Along the Greenway

Recent Greenway notes and observations from our Greenway Scouts.


Thursday, June 1, 2023: New Plant Tags in the Kiosk Garden – Thanks to the great Greenway Gardeners, there are now colorful and durable plant tags identifying many of the native plants growing in the Wes Burlingame Memorial Garden at the kiosk. While you're admiring the plants and learning more about them via the sturdy metal tags (that definitely won't wash away …

See our Blog page for the complete text of this post, photos, and for earlier blog posts.


Community Support for the Greenway

To date, 36 area organizations have written letters in support of the Oklawaha Greenway. See the letters.